New Crop Graphics

[EliasTheCrimson 348]

The new textures look awesome. It's exactly the right style for Wurm.

From what I've seen it seems easy enough to tell ripeness off the fields, cotton get white-speckled, corn grow visible yellow cobs near the top. It's true we might need some clearer indicator however, at least for the crops that are "hidden" (like potato). Or we could just get used to it, and keep using the rake tooltip.

[Zakiah 66]

The new textures look awesome. It's exactly the right style for Wurm.

From what I've seen it seems easy enough to tell ripeness off the fields, cotton get white-speckled, corn grow visible yellow cobs near the top. It's true we might need some clearer indicator however, at least for the crops that are "hidden" (like potato). Or we could just get used to it, and keep using the rake tooltip.

Potatoes are easy, actually.  The flowers are white and pretty.

So far, I didn't notice ripe garlic, but I was tending at night.  The mouseover saved me on that one, and the fact that it's in an animal pen so I watch it more closely.  Cotton and Potatoes so far have been very visible; cotton looks even better at night.  Waiting on Rye, Wemp, and Onions to ripen now.

[Hordern 2,177]

I like that every crop have different model but i dont like the models themselves. Why are they 2D?

Crops have always been sprites. I shudder at the thought of my framerates in the middle of a 250 tile farm if they were all 3D...

[Gorwst 129]

I really like the new graphics and I think they greatly enhance the look of a farm.

As for not being able to tell what's ripe without having to think about it in the slightest, I think that this is an advantage and not a problem.  First, you will learn how to tell the difference between plants given a little time.  Second, there is now a point and reward to getting your farming skill up high enough to see the growth status of crops on examine.

Kudos on this improvement to the game.

[Facesofmu 4]

I love when I'm doing a road trip IRL and I can see something and identify it because I learned about it from a game. The first Olive tree models in Wurm did this for me when I saw a real olive plantation once.

Although I can take it for granted, I think this is one of the true values of videogames, that is, to teach players knowledge and skills they take with them in the real world.

Realistic plant models is a big +1 in my book!

[orthanas 7]

The new crop graphics are great and easy to distinguish ripe from growing crops once you harvest a bunch. 

[Kianga 219]

I just love the new graphics. Sure, it will take a little time before we can do things 'at a glance' again but that is to be expected with such changes. So no problem at all.

I do have one request though: the weeds are sometimes hard to discern  from some of the grains (especially in the first part of night, with the poor lighting as even bright lantern-light seems to just get 'sucked away' during the hours until 1 am-ish). Would it be possible to put in some 'knackered' stems in the weeds-graphic - and/or for instance let any crop-visual (cobs, grain-tops) hang down instead of keeping the same position as on non-weed crops?

[Sam_J 6]

Would really like to someone to post screenshots with comparison of still growing crops and ripe crops. I am too low on farming skill to get the info from examining, and when night time the lighting from my house messed with the color of them so it's really hard to tell when they're ready to harvest

[Hordern 2,177]

I love when I'm doing a road trip IRL and I can see something and identify it because I learned about it from a game. The first Olive tree models in Wurm did this for me when I saw a real olive plantation once.

Although I can take it for granted, I think this is one of the true values of videogames, that is, to teach players knowledge and skills they take with them in the real world.

Absolutely, the Total War series has done a large amount for my Japanese and Medieval history background and the layout of European countries dating back to that period.

Still not entirely sure I could go out and live in the wilderness on my Wurm knowledge. I reckon I have some more useful experiences to draw on there, but at least I'll know to run from a Lava Fiend when I find one

[Homer 7]

esp like the garlic  could ripe corn be taller?

[Guest Docterchese]

Still not entirely sure I could go out and live in the wilderness on my Wurm knowledge. I reckon I have some more useful experiences to draw on there, but at least I'll know to run from a Lava Fiend when I find one

Funny you should say that actually! I needed to cut down a tree the other day and my Wurm knowledge helped me; instead of using a saw (which doesn't work on trees at all ofc) I cut down the tree with a shovel. Wurm definately helped me to avoid the wrath of a saw and use a shovel; shovels, the proper way to cut down a tree.

Also when I was doing some cooking Wogic helped me again. Having cut down that tree I had a shovel next to me; I used that to butcher the chicken for a casserole I was making instead of using a butchering knife. I was cooking on a campfire in my garden (it makes me a better cook faster) and the butchering knife was back inside the house; I could get mauled to death by a bear on my way there and back so thought it was safer to use the shovel that I already had.

:

[tealc 149]

I have to say being one of the many 'Old timers' of Wurm that the graphics are getting better and better, back in the old days we had to use a small barrel to distinguish ripe from non ripe, we had none of these hover descriptions, and all the crops looked the same.

All those that are complaining its still too hard really need to take a good hard look and see what is being given to them on a plate.

[Gladi 0]

everybody hide from grandpa!

[joedobo 1,187]

Finally got a good pic to prove my point. I can tell that the crops one or two tiles in front are ripe but after that its not clear. With the old crop graphics I could see ripeness all they way out to where the crops start to fade out, or 4 to 5 tiles away.

The tile in the bottom right is ripe wemp.

complaing # 2...with the old system it was clear what plants are in the first and second stage of ripeness. I used to wait till their was a good mixture of second and first stage ripe plants so I could get most of them in one harvest. Now I can't tell at all between the two ripe stages.

I sure would be useful if one of these would be implemented.

1. option to use the old crop graphics (Mr. B's masterpiece).

2. crops don't turn to weeds anymore if not harvested right away.

[Kegan 3,926]

Could just make the buds a little more colorful, lol

[Uberknot 327]

Crops should always turn to weeds when not harvested.  Would rather see ripe show at any level when hovering.

[Uberknot 327]

Could just make the buds a little more colorful, lol

I think they are alittle different when they turn ripe if you look at the color.

[Kegan 3,926]

Could just make the buds a little more colorful, lol

I think they are alittle different when they turn ripe if you look at the color.

yeah, i mean that you could embellish it even more so it was easier to see.

[Vroomfondel 1,128]

Joe, I think your image shows just how good the stages show across the scene, once you get used to the new stages.  For instance, I can see the farthest tile in the center (about 4 tiles from you) is ripe.  The plants stand taller than any other stage, and you can just see the yellowish buds on the tops.  The other stages are quite distinct too, by height and leafiness.  How about give it a week and see if you don't get used to the new images.  I think you will find you will see it all at a glance again.

[Brash_Endeavors 4,735]

I don't think there is going to be a consensus on this. I'll tell you why I think the current system (crops turn to weeds, have to get out and literally walk the fields to actually see what's ripe) adds to my enjoyment of the game and should not be changed.  But its rather personal and I am not surprised if this applies to very few other players.

Frankly, there are days I am not really motivated to log into wurm -- but I know I have to, else my crops will wither,  my animals will starve and get diseased, and my farm will basically go to pot wemp. So I log in anyway telling myself its going to be just a quickie 20 minute session of harvesting and feeding and that's all I "have" to do, and I can log out after that if I am still not in the mood for a Wurm Day.  What always happens though is .. once I get into the game, I really get into the game, and my 20 minute "quick maintenance" session ends up lasting seven hours as I decide to mosey around and do a little smithing, upgrade some fine carpentry items, maybe even dig out that hillside to see about putting a second mine in. And suddenly I am loving the game again -- and this happens for me on a DAILY basis.

Wurm needs me -- this is the ciritical difference for me between Wurm and other games where I got bored with it after a few first obsessive weeks. Skyrim might be a "better" game -- but Skyrim doesn't really need me, no matter what its scripted quests tell me.  There is a very personal BONDING process that I think occurs, when your homestead NEEDS you to take care of it or it will literally fall apart. It's a lot more personal than say Minecraft or WoW or other games, where if I don't show up for three weeks, it's no biggie.  Don't know how many other parents are out there playing, but there is a certain unique bonding that occurs when something JUST NEEDS YOU like that, to the point of having to give up other distractions because its not a commitment you can get out of. Having a pet or a job or a team or an audience - or any other "obligation" that needs you, and you alone can do this  -- is maybe similar.  I think if it became more "casual" where I could take off a few days whenever I wanted, those few days would extend into weeks and then months and then one day I just would not be back, because that bond would have been broken. 

My situation is of course different from every other player's situatiion, but I still think it is this underlying special quality, of knowing Wurm Needs Me, that makes it truly unlike any other game I have ever played. I can understand why other players do not want, or cannot afford to, give a game this sort of commitment level. But please understand this is why I  like the game just as it is now, and why your "improvements" would hurt it for me. Now, you can decide based on the above, that I just need to "get a real life". Games are after all really quite pointless and a waste of time -- other than how they make one FEEL about them. They can develop into an actual relationship. Just like "internet friends" are real friends too, even if you never see them in so-called "real life". And how I feel about Wurm is a very personal relationship that I would hate to see radically altered to the point where it becomes just another "game" that I pull out on rainy days when I feel bored. 

Sorry that was so long or if I got too "emo" about it all heh

[chefpeewe 47]

100% agree Brash. The only physical limitation that keeps me from playing for hours is the need of sleep. And I hate it !

[Wulfgar 1,128]

Now that my farms has finally reached ripe stage, I must say I have no problem seeing the difference between ripe and almost ripe crops. Just taking corn as an example, almost ripe corn has no corn visible on the plants, but the ripe stage has.

There is no need for any adjustments or go backwards to the crappy same graphic for all crops-texture that we had earlier.

[Zakiah 66]

Now that my farms has finally reached ripe stage, I must say I have no problem seeing the difference between ripe and almost ripe crops. Just taking corn as an example, almost ripe corn has no corn visible on the plants, but the ripe stage has.

There is no need for any adjustments or go backwards to the crappy same graphic for all crops-texture that we had earlier.

This.

The only difficulty I have had has been seeing ripe garlic at night.  If I bothered to carry a light source with me, or figure out how to place lights more effectively, that wouldn't even be a problem.  I have harvested Onions, Potatoes, Wemp, Cotton, Rye, and Garlic with the new graphics, and I can see when each of those are ripe from the pathways between fields, given adequate light.

And Brash... how you managed to put that into words I'll never know, but you almost perfectly explained some of my thoughts and feelings that I hadn't even been able to explain to myself.

[joedobo 1,187]

They are garbage and I hate the change, but I don't have the power to make it be anything different. I'll adapt not because I like it but because its a necessity.

[Vroomfondel 1,128]

They are garbage and I hate the change, but I don't have the power to make it be anything different. I'll adapt not because I like it but because its a necessity.

Ok, now you seem to just be stubborn.  The new graphics are much better than the generic crop type we had before.  The one thing you need to get used to in this game is change, and this was a good one.  It is NOT hard to tell ripe from unripe, you just have to learn the new graphics.  But you do have to be willing to learn.